Refrigerating apparatus



" L. G. COPEMAN REF I'GERATING APPARATUS 1922 5 sheets shee t 2 al denim.

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- L G coPEMAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 5 Shets-Sheet s \\\mied Jan. 14; 1922 .L. G. COPEMAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Fil ed Jan.

14 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet, 4

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L. G. COPEMAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed 14 1 2 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 (fan meg Dec, 2, 392%.

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F-FICE.

LLOYD GEOFF COPEMAN, O'F BELDIFIG, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO EDWIN W. ATWOOD,

or FLINT,

MICHIGAN.

REFRIGERA'IING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 14, 1922. Serial No. 529,114.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, LLOYD G. CoPnMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belding, in the county of Ionia and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and has for its object a refrigerator which is cooled by the circulation of cold water in coils. I have found objectionable sweating in actual practice with a refrigerator in which the coils are evenly distributed throughout the walls. The moisture in the air usually condenses on the top wall of the refrigerator. I have found that the circulation in such a refrigerator is poor.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a condensing chamber which has the function of both promoting circulation. and at the same time condensing all'the moisture in the air and leading away the water so that i the same will not in anyway interfere with the food orpreserving chamber. This produces an absolutely dry food chamber.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the refrigerating apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the refrige'rator taken from side to side.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken from front to back.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section taken" refrigerator box through the main 1; from the pressure-controlled pump 0. This pump is driven by an electric motor M. This motor is controlled by a pressure switch d, that is, when the pressure in the line rises above, say, 70 pounds, this switch automatically cuts out the current. This is fully described in my prior application #438,593.

The storage tank e is provided with an air head which is compressed by the water and which permits the accumulation of pressure in the water main. The water main 6 leads up through the vertical pipe f to the top of the refrigerator box andinto a'special T it (see Fig. 6).

The thermostat i is slipped into the thermostat socket j. This thermostat comprises a coil k of two metals of unequal expansion. Gonsequently these coil up tighter or uncoil due to small variations in temperature, thereby turning the shaft m shown in Figs. 6 and 7 To the end of this shaft is fastened an electric switch arm n which contacts either with the terminal 0 or the terminal p. These terminals are connected with circuits which lead to the motor M. This motor is calculated to turn the valve lever p through a quarter of a turn to open and close the valve 9. This motor apparatus is described in detail .in my prior application No. Suflice it to say here that it is simply an electric motor with suitable reducing gear and suitable automatic cut-'off so that when the valve lever 10 has been thrown through quarter of a turn the motor automatically cuts off the power. The valve q plurality of pipe sections and Ts, as isplainly shown in Figs. 3 and 6. I find it a cheaper construction to use ordinary pipe sections to form the top and bottom headers rather than such a special casting as is "shown in my prior application #477,906.

It will be noted that the top header t is provided with a T at the rear (Fig. 5). From this leads two branch pipes 2 which are provided with suitable elbows to afford for each a down run of pipe 4) (Fig. 2). At the bottom of each of these down runs of pipe '0 is a T as. Out of one end of the T a coil y runs down the back of the refrigerator. To the other end of the T the. side coil 2 is connected. This side coil runs down the side of the refrigerator and across the bottom, where it is designated 2'. Now referring to the other side of Fig. 4:, it will be'seen that the bottom coil 2' connects with the bottom header 8 through the T 1. The back coil y also connects with the bottom header through this same T. g

The partition coil takes its water from the same source that the condenser coil does. In

the center of the upper header t is a T 2 connected bya coupling hose 3 with the inlet end of the condenser coil 4. This condenser coil is located in the condenser chamber 5 which is in the top of the refrigerating box. The condenser has a set of, say, twelve runs running across the condenser chamber, then the pipe drops down to the bottom run, as shown in Fig. 2, and twelve more cross runs are rovided. The condenser pipe is then provided with a run of pipe 6 between the two cross runs of pipe which lead to the elbow 7, where a hose coupling 8 connects with a down pipe 9 (behind the lining with the partition coil 10.

of the condenser chamber) which connects The side walls, the back and partition wall coils areall encased in stonework 11 coated with enamel 100, which stonework is described and claimed in my application No. 477,906. However, there are no coils in the top wall of the food chamber as in the application mentioned, and there is no condenser in application No. 477,906. The

condenser chamber 5 is reached through the cover 12. The condenser chamber is connected with the left hand food chamber by the flue 13 which discharges into a larger flue or bafiie box 14 located in the condenser chamber. This discharges the warm air above the condenser coils. The air passes over the condenser coils to the op osite side of the condenser chamber w ere it drops down through the down flue 15 which is provided with a screen v16. The coldair now drops down into the right hand food chamber and passes through the partition opening 17 to the left hand food chamber, forming a continuous circulation. The exposed condenser coils disturb the equilibrium of temperature: In short, by reason of the coils in the condenser chamher being exposed, the air in thecondenser chambercomes directly in contact with the cold metal and is chilled more than the air that is in contact with the stonework of the food chambers. Consequently the air in the condenser chamber is chilled to a lowentemperatureand thereby falls and starts a circulation which is necessary to get the best results in fobd preservation.

A very important feature of this condensing chamber is the practical elimination of all sweating in the food chamber. The

moisture in the air does not collect on the under side of the top wallof the food chamber as it would otherwise do. The

moist air passes up through the upoing flue 13 and is chilled upon the cold coils in the condensing chamber. The moisture there condenses on the coils and falls 03 into the drip pan 17'. It is carried'ofi through the drain opening 18 and consequently in no way finds its way into the food chamber. The tray 17 is spaced from the top wall 19 of the food chamber and is provided with a dead air space. This prevents the top wall of the food chamber from becoming unduly chilled so as to condense the'rising moisture. I have explained in one of my previous applications, namely, #440,637, why the.

in the water line erature. I With the thermostat in the water ine, as soon as the water in the coils warms up enough to reach the neighborhood of the thermostat, the thermostat will open the wast valve 9 and allow more cold water to take the lace of the warm water in the coils. This will not bring the temperature of the food chamber down to the required level as quickly, but it obviously will result in a great saving of water for this periodical filling up of the coils and dumping of the water as it warms up results in utilizing all of the heat-absorbing capacity of the water. Consequentl very much less water is required than w ere the water is continuously wasted until the food chamber falls to the required degree.

It will be noticed that the water passes from the main 6 through the-coils of the re-, fri erator (the upper and the lower header .inc uded) and thence through the main 20 to the storage tank: 6. From the storage tank e the water is distributed to the various taps, such as 21 and 22. Hence whenever water is being drawn for service purposes the water in the coils will be cold due to the new running water and consequently the thermostat will close the waste. However, in order to rovide a much quicker closing I have provi ed the waste line with a pressure-controlled check valve 23. This valve will not open unless the pressure in the line is 15 or more pounds and consequently when the service line is open the pressure in the waste line is immediately relieved and the waste line closed. Hence while service water is being drawn the flow of the service taps cannot be diminishedby the conincident operation of the waste line.

When the box is of considerable height or capacity, I find it advisable to use two cycles of air circulation and condensation. Instead of a passage-way between the right and left preserving chambers, these are each, a Each wholly independent of the other.- chamberhas an up-going flue into the condenser chamber and a down-going fiue from the condenser chamber. Preferably two condensing coils are used but this is not absolutely necessary.

' What I claim is: v

1. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a ox provi ed. with a reserving chamber and a condensing chem er,,and

awater line running. in proximity to but air circulation, a concealed water line running into proximity to the preserving chamber to chill the same and an exposed water line running through the condensing chamber and chilling the same to a lower degree for the purpose of promoting circulation and condensing moisture in the air.

3. A refrigerating apparatus, having in combination, a refrigerator box provided with a preserving chamber and acondensing chamber above the preserving chamber and connected therewith to provide air circulation through the preserving chamber and the condensing chamber, a substantially concealed water line leading around the reservingchamber and an exposed water ine leading through the condensing chamber.

4. A refrigerating apparatus, having in combination, a refrigerator box provided with a preserving chamber, a condensing chamber above the preservin chamber, an up-going flue connecting t e preservin chamber with the condensing chamber, an a down-going flue connecting the condensing chamber with the preserving chamber, a substantially concealed water line leading around the preserving chamber, an exposed water line leading through the conensing chamber so as to chill the condensing chamber to a lower degree than the preserving chamber and, thereby promote a cir-' culation of air up through the up-going flue and down through the down-going flue and also condense the moisture in the am in stone in proximity with the preserving chamber for chilling the same, and a water line running through the condensing chamber with the coils exposed.

6. A refrigerating apparatus, havin in .combination, a refrigerating box provided with a preserving chamber and a condensing I chamber above the preserving chamber and of the service line.

in communication therewith to provide an air circulation, a water line'encased in stonework surrounding the preserving chamber, a water line running through the condensing chamber where the same is exposed, and means in the condensing chamber for insulating the chilled exposed water line from the top wall of the food chamber.

' 7. A refrigerating apparatus, havin in combination, a refrigerating box provided with a preserving chamber and acondensing chamber above the preserving chamber in communication therewith to provide air circulation, a water line encased in stonework surrounding the preserving chamber,.a

water line passing through the condensing chamber where the same is exposed, and a tray for carrying away thewater of condensation and located under the water line'in the condensing chamber and insulated from the top wall ofthe preserving chamber.

8. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a refrigerating box, a water line running through the refrigerating box to cool the same and continuing on to form a service line, a waste line branching off from said water line and automatically controlled, and a pressure-controlled valve in said waste line which will only open when pressure accumulates in the water line by reason of the service line openings being closed.

9. In refrigerating apparatus,.the combination of a refrigerating box, a water line leading through the box and continuing to form a service line with service'ta s, a waste line provided with a waste valve t ermostatically controlled, and a pressureoperated check valve in the waste line which prevents water discharging through the waste line although the thermostatically-controlled valve is open, when water is being used out 10. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a refrigerator box provided with a dry chamber for preserving urposes and a condensing chamber-connecte so as to provide a cycle for air circulation, a water line imbedded in the walls of said preserving chamber for cooling the same, and an exposed water line in said condensing chamber, whereby a lower temperature is obtained in the condensing chamber than is obtained in the preserving chamber to confine the condensation of the moisture in the air to said condensing chamber.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

LLOYD GROFF IGOPEMAN. 

